Prahlad Das, the accused in the alleged rape-murder of a 17-year-old girl in Gaighata, North 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, was killed in a police encounter in the early hours of Tuesday, 27 October 2026. The victim's family and neighbours in Gaighata publicly welcomed the police action, saying the accused 'deserved such an end.'

What the Victim's Family Said

The father of the deceased girl told reporters on Tuesday morning that the police had acted correctly. 'We will not get our daughter back. But the police have done the right thing,' he said. He added that, according to what the family had learnt, Das had attempted to escape by snatching a policeman's firearm and had also fired at the escorting officers before police resorted to counter-firing.

A woman neighbour echoed the sentiment. 'What the accused had done with a 17-year-old girl was a crime beyond mercy. Even after committing the crime, he tried to snatch the firearm of a policeman and also resorted to firing at the police. So, whatever has happened with the accused was absolutely justified,' she said.

A senior citizen in the neighbourhood said the accused showed 'no feeling of fear or repentance,' adding that his attempt to overpower an armed escort even after his arrest made the outcome 'inevitable,' in his assessment.

How the Encounter Unfolded

According to sources aware of the development, West Bengal Police had taken Das to the crime spot on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday for a reconstruction of the scene — a standard investigative procedure. During this exercise, Das reportedly snatched the firearm of an escorting officer and opened fire at the police team. The officers responded with counter-firing, leaving Das critically injured. He was rushed to a nearby state-run hospital, where he was declared dead. The state police had not issued an official statement on the encounter as of Tuesday morning.

The Crime: What Happened on the Night of 24 October

The victim, a 17-year-old girl from Gaighata, had gone with family members and friends on the night of 24 October to attend a musical programme near her home, which continued until late at night. Around midnight, she reportedly received a call on her mobile phone, left the venue, and did not return. When the programme ended, her family searched for her but could not locate her. On Sunday morning, her body was recovered near the house of a relative. Das, who was himself a relative of the victim, was first detained for questioning and subsequently arrested on the basis of allegations made by her family.

Background and Broader Context

The Gaighata case comes amid sustained public and political pressure in West Bengal over crimes against women, following a series of high-profile incidents in the state over the past year. Encounter killings of accused persons during scene-reconstruction exercises have drawn both public support and legal scrutiny across Indian states, with courts in several cases directing investigations into whether proper procedures were followed. The West Bengal government and police are expected to face questions on the circumstances of the encounter, particularly since no official account has been released. This is the latest in a pattern where community-level support for extrajudicial outcomes reflects deep frustration with the pace of formal justice in sexual violence cases.

What Happens Next

West Bengal Police are yet to issue a formal statement on the incident. Given the legal and procedural questions that typically follow such encounters, a magisterial inquiry or internal departmental review is likely. The victim's family has not indicated any objection to the circumstances of Das's death, but rights groups may seek independent scrutiny of the encounter. The case is expected to draw further political attention in the state in the coming days.